


The Flavor of You

by drsquee



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Ableism, Ableist Language, Angst and Feels, BlackIce, Canonical Character Death, Disabled Character, F/M, First Time, M/M, Master & Servant, Victorian, blind!jack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-01-28 06:19:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12600168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drsquee/pseuds/drsquee
Summary: Blinded as a child, Jack finds himself a servant in the household of the illustrious Lord Black and finds more than he ever dared dream for.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so here we are!!
> 
> I had a lot of positive feedback from my short excerpt Flavor and a lot of people expressed their interest in reading a full length so here it is folks! 
> 
> Now, unfortunately I have ALOT of other stuff on my plate (see end notes) so please be patient in regards to updates! I do genuinely want to work on this fic but other commitments (and other fics) need to come first. However, I update my Tumblr every month in regards to my writing schedule and I also post fic updates on there too so you can keep up to date on any progress there (or message me if you'd like to know how its going ^_^) 
> 
> Also, I don't generally ask for this, but I would appreciate it if people could leave some feedback as I really want to know how people are liking or disliking the fic (extremely anxious about writing a disabled character)
> 
> A quick warning for this first chapter; Pitch is quite the bastard and uses horrible language in reference to Jack so please be aware. 
> 
> I'll also update the tags as I go and if you think I should add anything please let me know.
> 
> Last but not least...enjoy!

Jack tightened his grip on his staff as the carriage bounced along the stony path, gritting his teeth as he struggled not to be jostled to and fro. He’d been sat in the same space for well over two hours now and since transitioning from the flattened pathways that led out of the city to the stony, off-beaten track that led to his new Master’s home, had found that the cushions that he sat upon in the carriage really were just for show, completely sure that the bones in his backside would have bruises upon bruises.

He sighed inwardly and rubbed one foot on top of the other, anxious as he strained his senses, listening avidly to the sounds around him. The horses’ shoes as they clattered against packed earth and stone. The wheels of the carriage as they rattled along the path; the branches of low hanging trees and bushes that brushed against it, scraping away at the doors and roof. The quiet sighs of the girl across from him; he had begun to recognise them as sighs of anxiety. She was worried.

Jack was too. It wasn’t every day that a poor, blind boy was bought from a workhouse and taken far out into the countryside to work in the house of man whose name was only spoken of in hushed whispers.

He scraped the toenail of his big toe along the top of his foot in agitation, only wincing slightly at the line of pain it left behind, exhaling a deep breath slowly as he tried to dispel nerves. He had to calm down.

There was another quiet sigh then a rustle of clothing as the girl across from him moved, Jack tilting his head in her direction in acknowledgment. “We’re coming up the main path to the grounds now Jack, we’ll be arriving shortly”. There was a pause before her voice softened. “Try not to worry…I’m sure everything will be fine”.

Jack nodded, his voice lodged in his throat, trying to stifle a flinch and failing when her hand patted his, a vague attempt at reassurance before she pulled her hand away quickly, obviously noticing his reaction and recoiling, another heavy sigh leaving her body as they lapsed back into silence.

The heavy noise of the horses’ hooves turned light, almost crunchy as they moved from the dirt path to gravel, stones clattering against the carriage as they were kicked up by the horses, the carriage slowing down before coming to a complete stop, Jack’s anxiety rising as he swallowed against the lump in his throat. There was a creak and thud! as the driver jumped down from the top of the carriage, boots crunching on the ground as he walked around to the side of the carriage, a creak as the door was opened, Jack feeling a stripe of warm sunlight across his foot.

The carriage tipped to one side as the girl stood, leaving the confined space, Jack shuffling along the bench in the direction of the door, putting his hand on the side of the carriage as he stood and sliding it along until he felt the edge of the door, using his staff to map out the steps then descending himself.

His bare feet met pointed bits of stone, taking a moment to inwardly push away the points of pain he felt as he held his staff out in front of him, waiting for the woman to finish speaking to the driver before she came to Jack’s side. “We’re in front of the manor now Jack…I’ll be taking you straight to the Lord. He can be…intimidating. Please don’t speak unless he addresses you, alright?” she asked, worry making her voice tight and firm. “I’m going to lead you inside now ok?”

Jack nodded, appreciating her asking first as he held out his arm, letting her wrap it around her own so that his hand was in the crook of her elbow, tapping his staff from side to side lightly as they walked into the manor, inwardly absorbing and assessing everything. The sounds around him; the moment they entered the manor and the way the ground beneath him changed from gravel and cold stone of steps to the uneven roughness of wood as they entered the house itself. He heard children laughing nearby and cocked his head in curiosity before the girl urged him forward, slowly leading him through the manor, Jack swinging his staff lightly from side to side, memorising the path they took.

“Which room are we going to?” Jack asked quietly, the girl beside him pausing before she answered, her voice just as quiet.

“Were going to M’Lord’s study, it’s next to the ballroom but out of the way of the rest of the house. The Lord likes his…privacy”

Jack said nothing, turning his concentration back to the path they traversed which ended after a few more steps, the girl patting Jack’s hand before letting go of it, taking a step away from him and knocking on a door to his right, Jack tilting his head at the heavy sound. The doors must’ve have been made of thick wood, the girl’s knock sounding more like a dull rumbling thud then a crisp sharp rap. A muffled noise from inside must’ve been the Lord granting entrance as the girl opened the door which creaked as it was pushed open, Jack’s breath quickening as the girl left his personal space.

“Lord Black, I’m back from the city and-“

“I don’t see why your arrival back to the manor requires you to interrupt my work, Ms Toothiana”.

A pause before Toothiana continued talking, her voice slightly more clipped then before. “Forgive me, My Lord, but I wanted to inform you that, per your request, I have selected and brought back with me a new staff member for the household. I brought them straight to yourself so that you could properly address him and assign him to a new role so that I could put him straight to work”.

There was a pause before came the sound of a pen clattering onto a table followed by the scrape of a chair across the wooden floor. “Alright then, show them in so we can get this over with”.

A rustling of cloth before Toothiana came back to his side, hand gripping his upper arm tightly as she led him inside the room, Jack trying not to stumble after her as he followed her into the room, moving his staff in front of him so he could anticipate any objects in his way. She was clearly upset, gripping his arm tighter than necessary and without forewarning him beforehand of her actions and Jack tried to not to be bothered by it, coming to a stop and turning to where he guessed the Lord sat, bowing slightly in greeting then straightening while keeping his face lowered towards the floor and his staff to his side.

“This is Jackson Overland, My Lord. He’s young and thin but willing and I am quite certain he’ll be beneficial to the household” Toothiana announced, her grip relaxing on Jack’s arm despite the tremble that wove itself into her voice.

Silence descended on the room, Jack’s grip on his staff tightening as it went on and on, anxiously rubbing one foot on top of the other.

“Is this some sort of joke?”

The words were spoken with an eerie calmness and Jack instinctively froze, leg twitching as he forced himself not to take a step back. He’d heard that tone of voice too many times in his life – enough to know they were never a prelude to anything pleasant. Toothiana’s hand fell away from his arm as her voice croaked, obviously at a loss of what to say when the chair scraped viciously across the floor, making them both jump.

Shoes clipped quickly across the floor, Jack straightening and turning his head upwards when he felt a tall and foreboding presence stop and loom over him. There was a quick whoosh of air in front of his face and he blinked rapidly at the feel of it and its proximity, the movement stopping after a moment yet the presence stayed over him.

“Beneficial to the household? Ridiculous girl! The boy is blind!” the Lord all but raged, his loud voice so close to Jack that he flinched violently, holding his staff reflexively across his body. “Are your brains addled after having so many children?! Should I be out looking for a new Matron of the house, one who can actually do her bloody job?!”

Toothiana began to stammer then stopped immediately as the Lord practically growled at her. “What on Earth was going through your head?! You might as well have thrown my money in the lake or at the local drunkards; Lord knows they would’ve got more from it than I have giving it to you!” The Lord moved away from them, pacing the room agitatedly, Jack’s chest beginning to hurt as he tried to stifle the emotion welling up inside, breathing hard through his nose as he tried to keep himself together.

He’d anticipated shock, displeasure, even some anger on learning of Jack’s disability.

But not this. This rage that seemed to be on the on the knife’s edge of lashing out, words already springing out to hurt, to cut to the bone.

Toothiana took a deep breath beside him and moved to speak but the Lord barrelled right over her, drowning out any argument she had.

“You will take him back _at once_ Toothiana, I will not be saddled with this… _defect_. And I will be taking his cost out of your stipend to cover the loss. Get out, the pair of you, out of my sight at once!”

_Defect_.

The word pierced Jack like a knife. It cut him in his stomach and up into his sternum, through bone and muscle and everything inside him seized up as his blood ran cold.

_Defect_.

In shock from the word that had been thrown at him, he barely registered Toothiana grabbing his arm once more, attempting to pull him from the room. They had almost gotten to the door when he registered what was happening, snapping back to reality in a heartbeat and shrugging Toothiana off him. “Wait!”

The room went quiet, Toothiana hissing at him to stay quiet, her voice somewhere between a gasp and a whisper as she tried to retake his arm, Jack leaning away from her touch and taking a step further into the room. He bowed low, keeping his head towards the floor as he spoke, acutely aware of his voice shaking. “Please, My Lord…give me a chance”.

The Lord tutted noisily at him, Jack clenching his teeth at the noise directed his way. “What nonsense is this?”

“Please Sir….I only wish to show my usefulness to you. Let me stay and prove to you my worth. Your Matron…she did not pick me up from the streets, nor any distasteful establishment. She bought me from the town workhouse - I can clean and help with any house-hold chores just as well as any servant can My Lord”. He paused for breath, licking his lips but only succeeded in making them sticky, his mouth dry from fear.

“Who was your workhouse Master?”

“Master Avery, Sir”.

“Avery hm? Why do you not wear a uniform Jackson?”

“I…kept outgrowing them, My Lord. Master Avery said it was cheaper to keep me dressed as is, as I never left the premises anyway” Jack stammered in reply, straightening and turning his head in the direction of the Lord’s voice. “Please My Lord I beg you…allow me to work for you”.

Toothiana shifted nervously in the doorway, stepping up behind Jack lightly. “Begging your pardon My Lord but...the Master of the house seemed very reluctant to sell him to me when I offered to buy him…”

The Lord snorted, a creak and scuffle indicating that he’d retaken his seat. “Probably trying to scam you into taking him, which I see he succeeded in doing so”.

Jack bristled, barely managing to rein back in his outrage as he furrowed his brow. “It’s because I was the hardest worker there, but also the cheapest…my mother and sister also worked at the workhouse, mostly doing laundry or baking although my mother also worked in the nurseries”. He shuffled, uncomfortable at telling this cruel Lord so much about himself. “I asked that any stipend I earned be added to my mother’s…being differently abled, I wasn’t paid as much as the other workers, so it wasn’t as if she was being over-paid…my sister wasn’t paid and she was too young to sell to a factory or to the mines. Besides, I never went anywhere or had anything I wanted to buy so money seemed pointless...”. Jack trailed off, a lump forming in his throat at the thought of his sister’s laughter, bright and innocent, her small warm hand in his.

There was a light tapping noise, Jack’s head tilting at the sound of it. “This is all very tragic but I still don’t see how I am going to benefit at all…”

Jack’s lip curled of its own accord and he quickly turned his head away, taking a deep breath. “…give me two weeks”.

“Two weeks?”

“Two weeks….two weeks to prove my worth to you, to your house. I need two days to memorise the layout of the grounds, after that…I’ll do anything you or your Matron here asks of me. I’ll clean the rooms, help with gardening and launder clothes, anything and I’ll…I’ll do it for free too”.

Another light tapping noise, although this one was slower, sounded more thoughtful than the last. “For free?”

Jack nodded, biting his lip as he warmed to his idea. “I’ll work the next two weeks for free…if you wish me to stay after the two weeks are ended, than I will join on as a proper member of staff and be paid accordingly. If you are still unhappy with me after the two weeks are up…” he shrugged. “Then I’ll go. Either way, you won’t have lost any money and you’ll have an extra pair of hands helping around the manor for free”.

The tapping stopped, Jack’s hand gripping tightly to his staff, holding it next to him and hoping they couldn’t tell how much he was using it for support, his knees feeling weak. He heard Toothiana shuffle just behind him and raised his chin a little, feigning confidence.

After a moment the Lord sighed, breaking the unbearable quietness of the room. “Alright then. I accept your proposal”.

Jack blinked, mouth dropping open in surprise. “You do?”

“Yes. Two weeks, Mr Overland, to prove your worth to me. You will report to Toothiana for your daily chores but I expect complete respect and obedience from you when requested to do work by myself or other members of staff. You have till tomorrow evening to memorise the grounds of the manor. If I hear any complaints against you at all, the bet is off and you’ll be in a one-way carriage off the grounds, do I make myself clear?”

Jack swallowed against the lump in his throat, unable to stifle the relief that flooded through him. “Yes…yes my Lord. Very clear”.

“Good, it’s settled then. Hold out your right hand, Jackson”.

Jack blinked then warily held out his hand, starting slightly when a large, warm hand enclosed around it, shaking firmly.

“My name is Lord Pitchiner Black. For the next two weeks, I am your new employer" the man growled, squeezing Jack's hand once before letting go, Jack suppressing a shudder at the feel of the man's presence in front of him. 

"Honoured to meet you My Lord" Jack answered, bowing his head once more. "I look forward to proving you wrong" he said his voice sounding more confident then his knees felt.

There was a huff, a warm breath of amusement cascading over Jack's face as he tilted his head up towards Lord Black.

"We shall see".


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack meets Aster while Pitch contemplates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *flails*   
> And we're back! Sort of! A little!   
> Updates will still be stuttered as things are still ridiculous here *I only went and fractured my knee 2 months ago and have been laid up ever since cause HEY WHY NOT lol* but I am slowly getting my writing groove back.   
> I'm slowly coming back into writing BlackIce as well as I've been completely immersed in playing Overwatch the last 2 months and felt really disconnected from ROTG. However, I re-watched it the other day with my daughter and remembered why I love it and BlackIce so much so have been re-reading my fave fics as well as my own to get my mojo back. Seems to be working so far *fingers crossed* so lets keep this train going!
> 
> Please enjoy!

“By hell Toothie, what the blazes were you thinkin eh?!”

Jack winced at the exasperated and overbearingly loud voice coming from the man a few feet away from him but kept his head lowered as he gripped and fidgeted with the staff in his lap, trying to pretend he wasn’t listening to every word that was being said between the man and Matron Toothiana.

After being dismissed from the Lord’s study, Toothiana had guided him back through the manor to the servants quarters where Jack would be staying, letting him get comfortable in his new lodgings. He learned that he would be sharing a room with Toothiana and her brood, who also stayed and worked at the manor with their mother.

Despite the trembling that had wracked his body since leaving the Lord’s presence, Jack had made sure to memorise the path they had taken, counting the number of times his staff tapped against the floor as they walked as well as any turns they made.

Jack had no sooner than walked into the room and sat down on his new bed when the man, now known to him as Aster, had barged in and begun raving at Toothiana, who had stood protectively in front of Jack and defended her decision to bring him to the manor, the two getting into a heated debate as Jack sat there and faded into the background.

Sighing noisily, Jack cut in just as Toothiana was raising her voice to bite back at Aster. “I get that tensions are high around here, but I’m blind, not deaf. Please stop arguing over me as if I’m not sat right here”.

The two went quiet, Jack raising his eyebrow and turning his face in (what he hoped) was their direction. Toothiana coughed in embarrassment. “You’re right…I apologise Jack”.

There was a pause before the man made a small noise of pain, Jack blinking in surprise before a gruff voice replied. “Ah apologise too…dint mean no harm t’wards ya”.

Jack nodded brusquely, then jerked his head towards the doorway. “They can come in too, if they like…I won’t bite, I promise”.

There was a pause then Toothiana tutted noisily in exasperation. “Children! Stop your rude gawking and back to your chores! Do you hear me now, off with ya!”

There was a clamour of footsteps and small high-pitched giggles and gasps before the noise receded, Toothiana muttering to herself as Aster chuckled. “They don’t mean no harm Toothie…just curious is all. Been a while since we had a new addition to the manor”. Aster’s voice had turned gentler, more jovial, Jack beginning to relax when the man’s attention was turned back to him. “So. Jack was it? How old are ya?”

“I turned twenty-two last winter Sir” Jack answered, straightening his back slightly as if daring the man to challenge him, a throaty chuckle his reply.

“Now now, no need to get shirty, and no need for any ‘Sirs’ either…leave that that for the Lord of the ‘ouse. Call me Aster…am the groundskeeper here….do a lot of the odd jobs that need doing too”. He paused and Jack had the odd feeling he was being scrutinised, lifting his chin defiantly in Aster’s direction. “So what did you do at your ol’ place?”

“Whatever was asked of me” Jack replied back fiercely, hoping the expression on his face carried his sincerity. “And I’ll do the same here too”.

“Ahhh a ‘Jack of all Trades’? Heh, great stuff. You’ll fit right in ‘ere” Aster guffawed, slapping Jack hard on the shoulder and making him lurch forward before moving to exit, Jack hearing what sounded suspiciously like a kiss and a murmured word and quickly turning his head away, not wanting to intrude on a private moment.

Toothiana sighed once Aster had gone and sat down on the bed opposite to Jacks, the springs squeaking on the old mattress noisily. “I apologise Jack…Aster can be very…abrupt…at times. I hope he didn’t upset you in any way?” she asked, concern lacing her voice, Jack smiling in reassurance.

“It’s alright Ma’am, its…I’ve learnt that not everyone is as…accepting as yourself”.

He heard her suck in a breath, readying herself to argue and help up a hand to stop her. “It’s true and it’s not going to go away overnight…all I ask is to be given the chance to work, just like everybody else. Now, I need to get acquainted with the house and the grounds then maybe you can give me a list of chores and we can compromise on what I can pitch in with?”

Jack paused then smiled Toothiana sighed heavily, a sound he was quickly learning was her way of saying “alright, you win”. “Fine fine…I’ll call my eldest to come take you round the grounds. But will today and tomorrow really be enough time for you to memorise the entire layout?”

Jack’s smile widened.

* * *

Lord Pitchiner Black sat at his desk and re-read the missive he had just written, going over it with a keen golden eye before setting it down in satisfaction, tapping his fountain pen gently on the desktop as he stared blankly at the letters drying on the page before him. He frowned as an image of the young blind man who had entered into his service not more than four hours ago came to him, the defiance in his expression as he spoke to Pitch that was unable to mask the fear that rolled off him in waves.

Sitting back in his chair, Pitch crossed his legs and rubbed his chin with his finger, tapping it lightly on his lips as he remembered the conversation, his frown deepening.

What on Earth had possessed him to agree to hire the boy? Sympathy? Empathy? Was he just getting softer in his old age?

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his stark black hair as he turned his gaze to the window. An urge to look outside made Pitch stand and walk towards it, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked outside at the vast countryside that surrounded his home. Standing tall and dressed impeccably all in black, Pitch knew he looked stern and imposing. He had worked hard all his life to get where he was today; to have people look at him in awe and respect and yes, sometimes even fear.

But this boy could not.

Oh yes, Pitch had seen the trepidation when he had entered the room; the way he had shifted from foot to foot, how his hands had tightened and gripped the staff that supported him. He had probably already heard about Pitch from the rumours that circulated in town, but the anxiety was mostly due to something already ingrained in him. Not being able to see, to have the ability to help judge what was before him and rely purely on what he heard, what he could sense, would have made him guarded against meeting anyone new, especially someone of Pitch’s standing.

But alongside the caution, alongside the inner anxiety, was a want. A want to be prove himself, to show his worth, and this, this is what had caught Pitch’s attention. This was what had spurred that little outburst. Oh sure, he had had people talk back to him before, that wasn’t anything new. Angry, recently fired workers, spitting in his face, cursing his lineage - poor lower-class people who sneered and furrowed their brows at his carriage or his fine clothes when he went into town. Hostility over his wealth, his class, his good fortune.

But righteous, indignant anger? That was new.

It reminded Pitch of his younger self.

As if summoned, the boy – Jackson - walked into view below his window, accompanied by one of Toothiana’s children. The eldest, if he wasn’t mistaken, although the little brats did like to try and give him the run around. Pitch watched as Jackson walked carefully, almost thoughtfully, his staff tapping from side to side in short sharp raps, his head tilted downward ever so slightly. His young helper watched Jackson keenly although as they walked forward Pitch could see his lips moving, vaguely wondering what he was saying as it looked as though Jackson was paying little attention.

Pitch smirked. It looked like Jackson had already learned to tune out the children’s inane babble.

Abruptly, they halted and Pitch watched with interest as Jackson tilted his head slightly the left, as if listening to something. Suddenly, Jackson turned his head in Pitch’s direction, his unseeing eyes turned up to the very same window Pitch was stood at, as if he could feel Pitch standing there, watching them.

With a start, Pitch flinched and took a step back as if caught, turning away as a small tug of guilt prodded him sharply. He berated himself inwardly as he turned back to the window, assuring himself that he had done nothing wrong, that Jackson had not seen – could NOT see – and turned back in time to see Jackson and the eldest child disappear around the corner of the house, presumably heading towards the stables.

Frowning, Pitch turned and walked sharply back to his desk, pulling the bell-rope to summon one of the house before sitting at his desk and re-reading his letter once more as he waited. Satisfied, he slid the letter into an envelope and sealed it, writing the name of the intended on the front as one of Tooth’s younger children entered, waiting quietly next to his desk until he’d finished.

Pitch held out the letter. “This needs to be delivered into the recipient’s hands as quickly as possible. If the postal service has already been, have Aster or your mother take it. I also require a pot of tea, however that can wait if dinner is almost prepared”.

Nodding quickly, the child took the letter and tucked it neatly under their arm before dashing off, closing the door quietly behind them as Pitch relaxed back into his chair with a creak, picking up his fountain pen and turning it this way and that as his thoughts turned back to Jackson, his brow creasing when he realised what he was doing.

Rubbing his forehead, Pitch stood and put away his paperwork, locking the desk drawers and exiting his office, deciding that a brisk walk around the grounds was in order.

As Pitch walked into the foyer, he could hear the sounds of excited chatter coming from the kitchens and stood still for a moment, listening to the sounds of eager chatter. He started when North’s laughter rang out, followed by a tinkling of light but infectious laughter he had not heard before.

Realising he was listening to the sound of Jackson laughing, he frowned deeply and stormed out, slamming the front door behind him in a fit of resentment.

It was only when he was halfway to the gardens that Pitch realised that he wasn’t quite sure exactly why he was angry in the first place.

**Author's Note:**

> Updates will be stuttered as I have a young daughter who demands my attention and an extremely erratic and unforgiving sleep pattern.


End file.
